The Faery Book

(Chapter One: The Spiral Tower)

10-30-4

I traveled to Badger’s Home, and asked to be escorted to the portal where I meet my Dolphin friend. She was willing, but sternly stated that she was busy with many new herbal remedies that would work better in this toxic imbalance she was sensing. She indicated for me to sit, quietly, out of the way, for a while, until she was in a place to leave her tinctures and potions safely.
I have learned patience, and so watched her curiously from a pocket seat, as she prepared roots, leaves, and berries for this afternoon’s work. Finally, she turned to look at me, as if suddenly remembering that I was there.
“All right, Child, let’s get you on your way. You have plenty to prepare as well.”
She led me down a tunnel, as the aromas of her work wafted after us. After many turns and twists, I could smell the salty air of the ocean not far off. She wrinkled her nose at the smell, and left me to find the shore myself.
“Do not think to believe that everything is as it seems, Child. Be forewarned.”
I thanked her for her guidance and words of wisdom, and turned towards the ocean’s murmuring surf. There, out a few yards in the water, was my Dolphin companion, waiting for me.
“C’mon! C’mon!” he yelled playfully, “Let’s go!”
As I dove into the surf, I became my Dolphin self, as Ikka-Ri, and swam off with him. We raced far out to the south and east, under a noon-day sun. It was a glorious day with a clear blue sky, a few clouds, and a south-westerly breeze. We leaped and spun and dove, enjoying each other in the company of the sea.
“Here,” he said, “here is where we need to go far below. But before you dive, remember this: we will be going to a portal only you can go through. I will wait there for you to return. Don’t forget your dolphin-breathing exercises, so you can dive as deep as we’re going… and so you can return safely.”
Listening, I began my breathwork and followed him deeper. The sea was transitioning into a cobalt blue, almost to indigo, by the time we reached a shimmering in the water. This was the portal, I knew it.
“Good Journey and good fortune, Ikka-Ri,” he said. “I’ll be right here.”
“Thanks.”
I turned then to face the portal. I eased my nose closer to it, and felt the tingling of magical energy. I backed up some, and then leapt through it.
In the leap, I consciously shifted to my more Human form, and landed on my feet, stumbling just a bit. I had hit what seemed to be a marble floor, and had to adjust to the sudden solidity of my world. Regaining my composure, I looked around me. In three directions there were windows that looked upon the deep seascape from which I had just come. The windows, in closer inspection, were of a substance unknown to me, for they neither felt like glass or plastic, but rather some kind of generated energy field unaffected by the pressures found at these depths.
The room itself was circular, and straight before me, a spiral staircase had been etched into the marble walls. I knew I would find what I was looking for at the top of the stairs. So I walked over to them, and began climbing.
Finally, I reached the last step and found only one door. There was no other way to step but into whatever lay behind the door. In fact, reason would say that nothing was behind the door, because the tower walls, windows and staircase was all that was visible and the physical dimensions did not seem to hold any other room. But, I walk beyond reason, and know that Truth sets my Path before me, anyway.
I opened the door.
It was a beautiful room. And it held a window that curved halfway around it. The view was incredible. I could see other buildings, in various stages of wholeness, speaking of the cataclysmic hand that had toppled this empire. The water was a vibrant clear indigo, easing into light shadows around the edges of this lost civilization. I was mesmerized by the sight.
A soft “ahem” behind me brought my attention back to the present.
I turned and saw a Faery Folk sitting on a stool, looking quite intently at me.
“Whoa…,” I said, “Who are you?” … for I remembered only an empty room.
“I am here for you,” she said.
“For me?”
“Ah, yes. For you. You seek a book, do you not?”
“Ummm, yes, but I don’t remember you being here before.”
“It wasn’t for you to know. I wasn’t in your vision at that time. Things change.”
“Ok. So, can you help me here?”
“That is why I am here.”
“There was a book that attracted my attention. I seek it now.”
“Rather the book called you, and you replied.”
“That, too.”
“I was looking through it, before you arrived.”
“And I didn’t even notice you. My bad.”
“Your Path protects you, when you listen. It is of no import now. The book is, however.”
“So you have the book?”
“It is here, on the table. Come see for yourself.”
Now, I started wondering to myself how I had missed not only the Faery, but also the two stools and the table. But, knowing my Journeys, truly it was of no import. I just dealt with what was at the moment, and that was enough.
I walked over to the table and sat on the stool next to her, feeling her incredible energy and clear presence.
“Focus on the book, Lady Lighthawk,” she laughed lightly and grinned at me.
So, I focused on the book. It was a huge tome – perhaps four inches thick and a foot square. It seemed bound in leather, but I knew that the texture was somehow not quite that.
She whispered, “Sometimes, when the Arynx died, they would let an Elc’yrr know so that sacred objects could be made to include their energy, as they passed on to another dimension.”
I saw in my mind a vision of an Arynx, which seemed to be something like an enormous otter-like whale, if that made any sense. And, in the vision, I could also hear its words… as if some link had been established, somehow.
“This book is yours. It is a copy of our conversations, and your deep learnings of the time. It is time to remember. The Times return.”
I was astonished at the clarity of the link. And I sent back my gratitude and respectful honoring of the conversation.
“Honor it by reading the words in the book, Ishtani.”
And then the link vanished.
And the Faery had vanished.
And I was at the bottom of the stairs near the portal, carrying the Book.
I tucked it into a deep pocket of my cloak, knowing that in transition to dolphin it would be completely protected from the elements. I leapt through the portal.
My Dolphin friend greeted me, and escorted me back to the Badger’s tunnel. I thanked him for accompanying me on the Journey, and he jumped in a complete circle above the sea, thanking me for the opportunity to Journey.
As I returned through the tunnel, Badger met me and indicated a different tunnel-path for me to use.
“You were called, while you were out. The Oberon wishes to speak with you. Concerning the Book. He has an escort waiting for you. Go, and take care.”
As she wandered back down her home tunnel, I wondered how the Oberon knew about the Book, and why he would want to speak with me. This could be quite interesting. So I checked for the presence of the Book, within the cloak’s pocket, and headed down the tunnel to the Western Faery Domain.